Primary Source Document
with Questions (DBQs)
SELECTIONS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS:
ON HUMANENESS
Introduction
Confucius (the Latinized version of Kong Fuzi, “master Kong”) or, to call him by his proper name, Kong Qiu (551-479
BCE) lived at a time of political turmoil and transition. The China of his time consisted of a number of small feudal
states, which, although theoretically subject to the kings of the Zhou Dynasty, were actually independent. Confucius
and many of his contemporaries were concerned about the state of turmoil, competition, and warfare between the
feudal states. They sought philosophical and practical solutions to the problems of government — solutions that,
they hoped, would lead to a restoration of unity and stability. Confucius had no notable success as a government
official, but he was renowned even in his own time as a teacher. His followers recorded his teachings a generation or
two after his death, and these teachings remain influential in China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan to this day. The
anecdotes and records of short conversations compiled by his disciples go under the English title of the Analects. The
excerpts from the Analects presented below are specifically concerned with Confucius’ ideas regarding the concepts
of humaneness (ren or jen, also translated as “humanity”).
Document Excerpts with Questions (Longer selection follows this section)
From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia
University Press, 1999), 48-50, 52, 56, 59, 61-62. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the
publisher. All rights reserved.
Selections
from
the
Confucian
Analects:
On
Humaneness
4:5
The
Master
said,
“Wealth
and
honor
are
what
people
desire,
but
one
should
not
abide
in
them
if
it
cannot
be
done
in
accordance
with
the
Way.
Poverty
and
lowliness
are
what
people
dislike,
but
one
should
not
avoid
them
if
it
cannot
be
done
in
accordance
with
the
Way.
If
the
noble
person
rejects
humaneness,
how
can
he
fulfill
that
name?
The
noble
person
does
not
abandon
humaneness
for
so
much
as
the
space
of
a
meal.
Even
when
hard‑pressed
he
is
bound
to
it,
bound
to
it
even
in
time
of
danger.”
6:28
Zigong
said,
“What
would
you
say
of
someone
who
broadly
benefited
the
people
and
was
able
to
help
everyone?
Could
he
be
called
humane?”
The
Master
said,
“How
would
this
be
a
matter
of
humaneness?
Surely
he
would
have
to
be
a
sage?
Even
Yao
and
Shun
were
concerned
about
such
things.
As
for
humaneness
—
you
want
to
establish
yourself;
then
Primary Source Document, with Questions (DBQ) on
SELECTIONS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS: ON HUMANENESS
help
others
to
establish
themselves.
You
want
to
develop
yourself;
then
help
others
to
develop
themselves.
Being
able
to
recognize
oneself
in
others,
one
is
on
the
way
to
being
humane.”1
12:22
Fan
Chi
asked
about
humaneness.
The
Master
said,
“It
is
loving
people.”
He
asked
about
wisdom.
The
Master
said,
“It
is
knowing
people.”
When
Fan
Chi
did
not
understand,
the
Master
said,
“Raise
the
upright,
put
them
over
the
crooked,
and
you
should
be
able
to
cause
the
crooked
to
become
upright.”
Questions:
1. What kind of quality or virtue is jen or humaneness, and what kind of person
could be called a person of humaneness?
2. Do you find any similarities between the humaneness of Confucius and the
guiding principles of another religious tradition with which you may be
familiar — for example, love or charity in Christianity, social responsibility in
Judaism, or compassion in Buddhism? Any differences?
3. Can relationships within a family be based on the concept of humaneness
(humanity)? Can a government be based on the same concept?
4. How does Confucius’ concept of humaneness compare to the way in which
philosophers such as Han Fei and Lord Shang think about human beings and
human society?
Longer Selection
From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia
University Press, 1999), 48-50, 52, 56, 59, 61-62. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the
publisher. All rights reserved.
Selections
from
the
Confucian
Analects:
On
Humaneness
4:2
The
Master
said,
“One
who
is
not
humane
is
able
neither
to
abide
for
long
in
hardship
nor
to
abide
for
long
in
joy.
The
humane
find
peace
in
humaneness;
the
knowing
derive
profit
from
humaneness.”
4:5
The
Master
said,
“Wealth
and
honor
are
what
people
desire,
but
one
should
not
abide
in
them
if
it
cannot
be
done
in
accordance
with
the
Way.
Poverty
and
lowliness
are
what
people
dislike,
but
one
should
not
avoid
them
if
it
cannot
be
done
in
accordance
with
the
Way.
If
the
noble
person
rejects
humaneness,
how
can
he
fulfill
that
name?
The
noble
person
does
not
abandon
humaneness
for
so
much
as
the
space
of
a
meal.
Even
when
hard‑pressed
he
is
bound
to
it,
bound
to
it
even
in
time
of
danger.”
Literally,
“The
ability
to
take
what
is
near
and
grasp
the
analogy
may
be
called
the
direction
of
humaneness.”
1
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Primary Source Document, with Questions (DBQ) on
SELECTIONS FROM THE CONFUCIAN ANALECTS: ON HUMANENESS
4:6
The
Master
said,
“I
have
not
seen
one
who
loved
humaneness,
nor
one
who
hated
inhumanity.
One
who
loved
humaneness
will
value
nothing
more
highly.
One
who
hated
inhumanity
would
be
humane
so
as
not
to
allow
inhumanity
to
affect
his
person.
Is
there
someone
whose
strength
has
for
the
space
of
a
single
day
been
devoted
to
humaneness?
I
have
not
seen
one
whose
strength
was
insufficient.
It
may
have
happened,
but
I
have
not
seen
it.”
6:21
The
Master
said,
“The
wise
take
joy
in
water;
the
humane
take
joy
in
mountains.
The
wise
are
active;
the
humane
are
tranquil.
The
wise
enjoy;
the
humane
endure.
6:28
Zigong
said,
“What
would
you
say
of
someone
who
broadly
benefited
the
people
and
was
able
to
help
everyone?
Could
he
be
called
humane?”
The
Master
said,
“How
would
this
be
a
matter
of
humaneness?
Surely
he
would
have
to
be
a
sage?
Even
Yao
and
Shun
were
concerned
about
such
things.
As
for
humaneness
—
you
want
to
establish
yourself;
then
help
others
to
establish
themselves.
You
want
to
develop
yourself;
then
help
others
to
develop
themselves.
Being
able
to
recognize
oneself
in
others,
one
is
on
the
way
to
being
humane.”2
7:29
The
Master
said,
“Is
humaneness
far
away?
If
I
want
to
be
humane,
then
humaneness
is
here.”
12:22
Fan
Chi
asked
about
humaneness.
The
Master
said,
“It
is
loving
people.”
He
asked
about
wisdom.
The
Master
said,
“It
is
knowing
people.”
When
Fan
Chi
did
not
understand,
the
Master
said,
“Raise
the
upright,
put
them
over
the
crooked,
and
you
should
be
able
to
cause
the
crooked
to
become
upright.”
15:8
The
Master
said,
“It
does
not
happen
that
the
dedicated
officer
and
the
humane
person
seek
life
if
it
means
harming
their
humaneness.
It
does
happen
that
they
sacrifice
their
lives
so
as
to
complete
their
humaneness.”
17:6
Zizhang
asked
Confucius
about
humaneness.
Confucius
said,
“One
who
would
carry
out
the
five
everywhere
under
Heaven
would
be
humane.”
“
I
beg
to
ask
what
they
are.”
“Respect,
liberality,
trustworthiness,
earnestness,
and
kindness.
If
you
are
respectful,
you
will
have
no
regret;
if
you
are
liberal,
you
will
win
the
multitude;
if
you
are
trustworthy,
you
will
be
trusted;
if
you
are
earnest,
you
will
be
effective;
if
you
are
kind,
you
will
be
able
to
influence
others.”
See
footnote
1,
above.
2
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